Spending time in the garden or park is a beautiful way to spend the afternoon; however, you can run the risk of being stung by a bee - a fairly common but painful circumstance. Treating the sting early can relieve discomfort. remove the stinger immediately, check for signs of an allergic reaction, and try home or over-the-counter remedies to soothe the pain and swelling.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Act Immediately
Step 1. Remove the stinger as soon as possible
As soon as the bee stings you, you must immediately remove it from the skin; this is the most important thing to do! Some find that scraping it with a card, such as a credit card, is better than peeling it off with your fingers, but this slows down the action; some scientists do not even believe this is true and believe that the best thing to do is to remove the stinger as quickly as possible.
Remove it with your fingernails if possible, otherwise use tweezers or some other tool you have on hand
Step 2. Wash your skin with soap and cold water
Cool water can better soothe discomfort, while soap helps remove any residual dirt or poison; create a nice lather and then rinse thoroughly.
Step 3. Check for symptoms of an allergic reaction
Even if you've been bitten in the past without any consequences, be on the lookout for signs of a possible adverse reaction. Allergies can develop or worsen over time; more severe reactions (anaphylaxis) can even lead to death. Be careful if you start experiencing some of the following troubling symptoms:
- Difficulty in breathing or wheezing;
- Swelling of the lips, tongue, face or throat
- Dizziness, fainting, or a drop in blood pressure;
- Skin reactions, such as hives, redness, itching or paleness
- Accelerated and weak pulsations;
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
- Agitation and anxiety.
Step 4. Call emergency services if you have an allergic reaction
If you have any of the symptoms described, call an ambulance right away. While you're waiting for help (or waiting to get to the hospital), take Benadryl or some other antihistamine. If you have the EpiPen available, use it.
Once you have your treatment, go to your doctor to get a prescription for the EpiPen - an injection of epinephrine that you need to keep with you at all times in case another severe reaction arises
Method 2 of 3: Home Remedies
Step 1. Use cold therapy
Run cold running water over the sting or apply ice or a cold pack to the area. However, avoid placing it directly on the skin making sure to wrap it in a cloth and keep it in place for about 20 minutes.
If the sting still hurts, repeat the treatment
Step 2. Raise your leg or arm
If the bee has stung you on a limb, you must keep it elevated; place your foot on a pillow so that it is higher than your heart. This remedy helps relieve pain and swelling.
Step 3. Make a baking soda paste
Mix it with water so that it takes on the consistency of a paste; apply it on the suffering skin and let it dry; if you apply it promptly, it should be able to extract the poison, thereby relieving the pain and swelling. Put a tablespoon of baking soda in a bowl and add enough water to make a thick mixture.
You can also make a mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and a powdered enzyme to soften the meat. apply everything on the sting. Add enough vinegar to the baking soda and just a pinch of enzyme
Step 4. Apply honey
Spread some on the sore skin using your fingers or a cotton ball. honey is traditionally used for its antiseptic properties. To get the best effect, choose one that is as pure as possible, even better if 100% and without preservatives.
Step 5. Use toothpaste
Put some on the affected area; if you feel a tingling sensation, it means that it is relieving the itching caused by the sting. You can follow this remedy as often as you like.
A natural toothpaste is more effective than a traditional one, but you can try both remedies
Step 6. Smear apple cider vinegar
Wet a cotton ball with the liquid and keep it resting on the skin; It may burn a little at first, but then offers pain relief.
Method 3 of 3: Medications
Step 1. Take over-the-counter pain relievers
You can relieve pain with over-the-counter medications, available in pharmacies or pharmacies, such as ibuprofen (Brufen) or paracetamol (Tachipirina). If you suffer from any medical condition, ask your doctor or pharmacist which one is best for you, especially if you have liver or kidney problems; follow the instructions in the leaflet or ask your doctor for the correct dosage.
Step 2. Apply hydrocortisone cream
Smear this or other corticosteroid ointments on the red and swollen skin, thereby reducing skin pain and inflammation. follow the instructions on the package.
You can reapply it after four hours if needed
Step 3. Use calamine lotion
It is effective against the discomfort caused by bee stings as well as against the skin rashes caused by poison ivy; rub it on the skin with a cotton swab and use it following the instructions on the leaflet. Calamine ointments that also contain an anesthetic are particularly effective.
If necessary, reapply it after four hours
Step 4. Take oral antihistamines if the sting causes itching
You can take medications such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorphenamine (Trimeton) which help relieve this discomfort; follow the instructions in the leaflet, pharmacist or doctor for the right dosage.
Antihistamines in tablets can cause a lot of sleepiness; make sure you know the effect they have on you before taking them, in case you have to drive or go to work
Advice
- Even if you feel itchy, Not you have to scratch yourself, otherwise you aggravate the itchy sensation, making the swelling worse and also risking developing an infection.
- Apply an antibiotic ointment to the site after cleaning it from any medicated home remedies or lotions; this way you prevent possible infections.
Warnings
- If a blister forms, leave it alone and don't squeeze it, otherwise you could cause an infection.
- You may have an allergic reaction to a bee sting even if you have been stung in the past without showing any adverse signs. You may become allergic to one type of sting and not another; for example, you may experience reactions to honey bee stings rather than wasps stings. Having bites in the past without allergic symptoms does not mean that you will never have anaphylactic shock, so always be very careful whenever you are attacked by an insect.
